Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-09-02
The Great Napoleon.

at Torbay, on the southern coast of
England, and Napoleon was prison
er of war. As early as at Wagram
Napoleon showed that his intellect
had passed its prime. From that
time on he was not himself. His
Waterloo campaign was feeble. He
was irresolute. He abdicated prema-
turely. After his abdication, and
while yet at Paris, he displayed tim
idity. From Paris he proceeded to
Rochefort, on the Western coast OF
France, with about $50, 600 in gold,
with the intent of going to America.
At that date he would have been one
of the rich men in this country. He
reached Rochefort on July g. Not
only precious hours but precious days
slipped by. At last escape, which
might have been easy, became i'm.
possible.
Probably it was we'll. In this
country he might have wrought mis-.
chief. On July "a he became Eng
lands prisoner of war. AS he had
been an Emperor it was thought not
proper to con6ne him as a felon.
Yet, in violation of his pledge, he
had stealthily escaped from Elba and
caused blood to flow like water at
Quatre Bras, at Ligny and at Water
loo. 1t wonld be crime against Eu-
rope and against humanity to trust
him again on his honor. Royal
though he had been, he must be confn.
ed so that another escape would be
impossible. The place of his deten-
tion was determined upon after care
ful deliberation, and was determined
wisely. Napoleon's known intoler-
ance to cold was considered in fixing
upon tropical island. St. Helena is
an island cast up by volcanic eruption.
1t is mostly rocky, with a few mar
row valleys. 1t is is perhaps dozen
miles In circumference, and in 1915
contained about 1000 inhabitants.
On account of its rocky hleakness it
is rarely visited by ships--a fact max
ing it more secure as royal prison
When Napoleon was told that he
was prisoner of war he affected sur
prise. Great Britain behaved gener-
ously, and Napoleon was allowed to
take with him as companions three
military and one civil friend, with
their families, one physician and
twelve servants, to kept at England 8
expense. He selected Marshal Ber-
trand, Count Montlelon and General
Gourg and M. de La Cases as his
companions. The support of this
company cost England yearly about
100000. This does not include
the enormous expense of keeping at
the island Governor with his reti-
nue., regiment of soldiers and fleet.
On August 8 the 1eeet sailed from
the English Channel for St. Helena,
and on October II Napoleon first
stepped upon the island where he
was to die. He lodged for time in a
little valley cottage called the Briars.
More spacious accommodations were
afterward provided. Soon Napoleon
began his misbehavoir. Cockburn
was kindhearted and generous, but
he had his duty in keeping Napoleon
under guard. Napoleon, with the
smallest capacity, ought to have seen
this and respected it, But he would
not. Cockburn furnished him
horse, and offered wide latitude in
" hich to ride, but added that if he
approached within prescribed dis
tance of the beach he would be at
tented by British officer. Napoleon
affected to regard the limitation as an
insult, and with childish pettishness
refused to ride at all Then came
fault.fndiug as unjsst as it was un-
dignifed. After the fashion OF the
vulgar, he thought it smart to use
nicknames, and called Lord Cockbsrn
"the shark" Daily he repaid gener-
osity with ingratitude, politeness
with insolence.
Napoleon did not desire to escape.
He himself said that he had lived so
long in the eyes of the world that he
could not live without being talked
about; that to be buried in privacy in
the wilds of America would be unen-
durable, and that since he could not
now occupy throne he was greater
as prisoner on that rock than he
could be elsewhere.
In 1920 his health began to fail Wis
IDLY; his circulation became feeble.
Physicians prescribed. He had no
confidence and refused medicine. He
said he would die Of disease, but not
of medicine. In April. 1921, he
grew worse daily. He daily spent
hours in the bath, which weakened
him His eyes were sunken; his
his color was livid. He saw his end
at hand. AS he was worth more
than 81, 100000, which in our time
would be several millions, he made a
will, in which he expressed his hat
red and vindicated his crimes. He
denounced his bad hearted brother
Louis as liar.
On May 4, 1921, his hours were
evidently numbered. He took no
food, and frequently vomited black
matter. lie had spasms and rag
ing thirst. He was too weak to
speak, and besides his tongue and lips
were incapable of articulation. 80 that
his faint mutterings were unintelligi-
BILE. The 5th dawned as sunny and
tranquil day as ever dawned on
that island. All day long Napoleon
lay as in stupor. 1t was evident
that that day was his last. At $40
in the evening just as the bright sun
from cloudless sky was about to dip
into the ocean, Il Catholic priest stand
ing near, while friends wept around
his couch, without one motion, with
out even the death rattle, the prison
er was released.
If any one thing has oftner and
more forcibly pressed upon public at
tention through the newspapers than
another it is the fact that the most
unsafe place person can seek refuge
during q thunder storm is the shelter
of tree. 1t is the place that most
persons seek when storm driven. and
more persons have been killed by
there than any other place.
Most people know this, but still they